How are Africa's export commodity assets critical?

How are Africa's export commodity assets critical?

Combining connected devices, analytics and mobility unlocks the true power of technology in the ports and logistics environment. The future vision is to connect every vehicle, device or asset with wireless technology, streaming data to a centralised analytics platform. This platform then distributes insight and information to the relevant people via their mobile device.

For example, a port operator could pull together real-time information from various players in the ecosystem: truck drivers, hauliers, parking space operators, port road management and vessel tracking systems. By integrating this data into smart analytics platforms, it can inform the scheduling of trucks entering, off-loading, on-loading containers, and exiting the port.

Not only does this convergence of technology enable improved operations, it also enables seamless integration within the entire logistics environment including shippers, carriers, trucking and rail companies, customs and government bodies. However new technology has potential far beyond improving reaction times and optimising logistics schedules. These tools lay the foundation for the future of predictive analytics, machine learning and automation.

Recording every movement through embedded sensors on all vehicles and assets enables patterns to emerge and trends to be identified. This enables operations to be dynamically and automatically adjusted based on past experience and expected future volumes and activities. Ultimately through machine learning capabilities it will be possible to completely optimise all port operations.

Leveraging the benefits of technology

Adopting a comprehensive solution and service offering from a trusted IT partner can help to overcome many issues and challenges faced by ports today. This helps to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness, drive higher revenue, and maintain maximum yields on every customer while still ensuring high levels of container volumes and cargo safety. The end result is improved productivity, reduced operational costs, increased levels of security and higher safety standards, better asset utilisation and improved service levels.